Hollywood Hills Read Online Free PDF Page B

simply. “You’ll have to pay tribute to Julia without me.” She tried to smile, but the lump in her throat and the deflated look on Alexa’s face made it difficult.
    “This is so wrong,” Tyler murmured.
    Alexa gave a noisy sigh and pretended to search for something in her clutch, which Holly knew was her friend’s classic, I-couldn’t-care-less gesture. “You know, Tyler, I did apologize about only being able to bring Holly—” Alexa began.
    “No.” Tyler shook his head. He thoughtfully turned Holly’s hand over in his palm, then glanced at her face. “What’s wrong is that you want to go, Hol, but you feel like you shouldn’t, because of me.” He paused while Holly held her breath. “And that’s really stupid.”
    “It is?” Holly asked in a small voice. A bubble of hope rose in her chest. Alexa stopped rooting around in her clutch.
    “Uh-huh,” Tyler replied, giving her a reassuring smile. “You need to do this, Hol. Come on, Hollywood’s named after you—maybe it’s fate.” He laughed at his own joke, a move that was so patently Tyler that Hollyfelt herself choke up. What had she done to deserve such a good, kind, caring boyfriend, one who knew her better than she knew herself?
    “Sweetie,” she ventured, stroking the side of his face. “What about camping?” As Holly spoke, she felt cautious joy building in her; maybe, just maybe, this was her passport out of the dreaded family jaunt. She didn’t dare make eye contact with Alexa, who Holly knew was probably wearing a megawatt smile.
    “I’ll break it to your parents, if that will help,” Tyler said, confirming Holly’s happy suspicions. “There’ll be other camping trips.”
    She squeezed his hand, speechless. “You’re—you’re awesome,” she whispered, using his favorite word. She couldn’t think how else to express her gratitude.
    Tyler kissed her cheek, then stood and straightened the lapels of his blazer. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m starved,” he announced with what Holly thought sounded a little like forced cheerfulness. “When you ladies are ready to head back to Oakridge, I’ll be in the kitchen, making friends with the cheese tray.” He chuckled, and left.
    There was a beat of stillness after Tyler shut the door behind him.
    Then Alexa and Holly looked at each other, and screamed.
    “I can’t believe it!” Holly burst out, leaping to her feet as Alexa practically jumped on her. “We’re going to live Rodeo Drive!”
    “I knew you wanted to come!” Alexa squealed, her words overlapping Holly’s. “And I’m so glad Tyler is cool with it.” The girls flung their arms around each other and bounced up and down, doing a slightly more mature rendition of the “oh-my-God-no-way!” dance they’d choreographed in the third grade.
    “Do you think he really is, though?” Holly asked, pulling back and feeling a twinge of regret. “Before you came in, I mean, before we started—um—-anyway,” Holly tried to shake off her blush as Alexa watched her, clearly amused. “Tyler and I were talking about future plans, and I kind of told him I didn’t want to make any, and now I’m leaving before we can…”
    Alexa held up one hand. “Stop right there, Hol. I have three words for you: Movie. Star. Wedding.” She raised one eyebrow. “You should be focusing on that future now. Tyler can wait. And he will. Trust me. Boys are like punching bags—they bounce back.”
    Holly couldn’t help giggling. “Did you just invent that brilliant little simile on the spot?”
    “Hey, and you wonder how I got into Columbia,” Alexa teased, linking her arm through Holly’s. “Now tell me,” she began as they started toward the computeron her desk. “Do you have a dress that’s appropriate for a party to end all parties in the Hollywood Hills?”
    At Alexa’s words, Holly felt a bolt of anticipation. No matter what happened this week—no matter how much she missed Tyler, or how many phony LA types